Azalea plant named ‘First Place’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Azalea plant named ‘First Place’, characterized by its very glossy dark green leaves that do not abscise during the cooling and forcing periods; dense and outwardly spreading plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; rapid flowering after forcing; numerous large and showy reddish purple-colored flowers; hose-in-hose to semi-double hose-in-hose flower form; excellent postproduction longevity with plants maintaining good flower substance for more than four weeks in an interior environment; and very low incidence of infection with Cylindrocladium in inoculated trials.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Azalea,botanically known as Rhododendron hybrida, an evergreengreenhouse-forcing type Azalea, and hereinafter referred to by the name‘First Place’.

The new Azalea is a product of a planned breeding program conducted bythe Inventor in Alva, Fla. The objective of the breeding program is tocreate new Azalea varieties having uniform plant habit and uniformflowering, numerous flowers, dark green foliage, good foliage retentionduring the cooling and forcing periods, resistance to Cylindrocladium,and excellent postproduction longevity.

The new Azalea originated from a cross made by the Inventor in Alva,Fla., of the commercial cultivar ‘Prize’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat.No. 3,795, as the female, or seed, parent with the nonpatentedcommercial cultivar ‘Gloria’ as the male, or pollen, parent.

Compared to plants of the female parent, the cultivar ‘Prize’, plants ofthe new Azalea are slightly more vigorous; more outwardly spreading;have glossier, broader and darker green leaves; are more freelyflowering; have slightly redder (less blue) flower color, have betterflower color retention, and are more resistant to Cylindrocladium ininoculation trials. Compared to plants of the male parent, the cultivar‘Gloria’, plants of the new Azalea differ in flower color; flower aboutfive days earlier after cooling; are less susceptible to amide injury(foliar burn); have better foliage retention; and have longerpost-production longevity.

The new Azalea was discovered and selected by the Inventor as aflowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in a controlledenvironment in Alva, Fla., in May, 1993. The selection of this plant wasbased on its desirable flower color, profuse and uniform flowering,improved flower color retention, excellent postproduction longevity, andresistance to Cylindrocladium.

Asexual reproduction of the new Azalea by terminal cuttings taken in acontrolled environment in Alva, Fla., has shown that the unique featuresof this new Azalea are stable and reproduced true to type in successivegenerations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The new Azalea has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations inenvironment such as temperature, daylength, light intensity, nutritionand water status without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘First Place’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘First Place’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

1. Very glossy dark green leaves that do not abscise during the coolingand forcing periods.

2. Dense and outwardly spreading plant habit; vigorous growth habit.

3. Very freely branching.

4. Rapid flowering after forcing.

5. Numerous large and showy reddish purple-colored flowers.

6. Hose-in-hose to semi-double hose-in-hose flower form.

7. Flowers that do not shatter.

8. Good flower color retention even under high light.

9. Excellent postproduction longevity with plants maintaining goodflower substance for more than four weeks in an interior environment.

10. Very low incidence of infection with Cylindrocladium in inoculatedtrials.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Azalea. These photographs show the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color valuescited in the detailed botanical description, which accurately describethe actual colors of the new Azalea.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a top perspective view of atypical plant of ‘First Place’.

The photograph at the top of the second sheet is a close-up view oftypical flowers of ‘First Place’.

The photograph at the bottom of the second sheet comprises a close-upview of typical flowers of ‘First Place’ (left) and ‘Prize’ (right).

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned and following observations, measurements, values, andcomparisons describe plants grown in Alva, Fla., in 12.5-cm containerswith day temperatures ranging from 16 to 35° C. and night temperaturesranging from 10 to 24° C. Plants were grown under 50 percentpolypropylene shade cloth reducing ambient light levels to about 4,000to 5,000 footcandles. Plants used for the description and photographswere about 12 months from planting. After flower bud development, plantswere cooled at 3 to 5° C. for six weeks to break flower bud dormancy.Plants were subsequently forced into flower under commercial conditionsin a polyethylene-covered greenhouse.

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used.

Botanical classification:

Botanical.—Rhododendron hybrida ‘First Place’.

Commercial.—Evergreen greenhouse-forcing type Azalea.

Parentage:

Female or seed parent.—Commercial Rhododendron hybrida cultivar ‘Prize’,disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 3,795.

Male or pollen parent.—Commercial Rhododendron hybrida cultivar‘Gloria’, not patented.

Propagation:

Type.—By terminal cuttings.

Time to initiate roots.—Summer: About 35 days at temperatures of 24° C.Winter: About 42 days at temperatures of 24° C.

Time to develop roots.—Summer: About 63 days at temperatures of 24° C.Winter: About 77 days at temperatures of 24° C.

Root description.—Vigorous; finely-branched.

Plant description:

Plant form and growth habit.—Perennial, evergreen; outwardly spreadingplant habit; inverted triangle; vigorous growth habit. Densely foliated.Freely flowering; numerous flowers per plant.

Branching habit.—Very freely branching; about four or five lateralbranches develop after removal of terminal apex.

Plant height, soil level to top of flowers.—About 29 cm.

Plant diameter, area of spread.—About 51 cm.

Lateral branch description.—Length: About 26.5 cm. Diameter at base:About 6 mm. Color: Immature: Between 144A and 144B. Mature: Woody,between 165A and 165B. Texture: Sparsely pubescent.

Foliage description:

Arrangement.—Alternate, single.

Length.—About 4.2 cm.

Width.—About 2.7 cm.

Shape.—Elliptic to obovate.

Apex.—Mucronate.

Base.—Attenuate.

Margin.—Entire.

Texture.—Leathery; very sparse pubescence on upper surface.

Color.—Young foliage, upper surface: Very glossy; darker than 147A.Young foliage, lower surface: Close to 147B. Mature foliage, uppersurface: Very glossy; much darker than 147A. Mature foliage, lowersurface: Close to 147B.

Petiole.—Length: About 7 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Color: 144A to 144B.

Flower description:

Natural flowering season.—Spring after sufficient cool period.

Flower arrangement.—Flowers arranged singly at terminals with usuallyabout three flowers per apex. Flowers face upward and outward. Veryfreely flowering. Not fragrant.

Flower appearance.—Large-sized star-shaped hose-in-hose flower form.Reddish purple-colored petals. Flowers persistent.

Flower diameter.—About 7.5 cm.

Flower depth.—About 3.25 cm.

Postproduction longevity.—Under interior conditions, plants maintaingood flower substance for more than four weeks.

Flower bud (just starting to show petal color).—Rate of opening: Aboutthree to four days depending on temperatures. Length: About 1.25 cm.Diameter: About 6 mm. Shape: Ovoid, elongated. Color: 60A.

Petals.—Arrangement: Hose-in-hose flower form; single whorl of fivefused petals surrounded by whorl of sepals transformed into a completewhorl of petals. One or two stamens may be transformed into petals;making the flower form semi-double hose-in-hose. Length: About 3.8 cm.Width: About 2.9 cm. Shape: Roughly elliptic with rounded apex. Margin:Entire; undulating. Texture: Smooth, velvety. Color: When opening, uppersurface: Close to 60A to 61B to 63A. When opening, lower surface: Closeto 60A to 61B to 63A. Fully opened, upper surface: Close to 60B to 60Cto 61B to 63A; spots, 60A. Fully opened, lower surface: Close to 61B to63A. Throat: Close to 63A to darker than 63B.

Sepals.—Arrangement: Single whorl of five fused petal-like sepals.Length: About 3.7 cm. Width: About 2.8 cm. Shape: Roughly elliptic withrounded apex. Margin: Entire, undulating. Texture: Smooth, velvety.Color: Upper surface: Close to 60B to 60C to 61B to 63A. Lower surface:Close to 61B to 63A.

Peduncles.—Length: About 1.8 cm. Diameter: About 1.75 mm. Angle:Upright. Strength: Flexible, strong. Texture: Very pubescent. Color:144A.

Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamens: Typically five or seven; oneor two stamens may be transformed into petals. Anther shape: Oblong.Anther size: About 3 mm by 1 mm. Anther color: Close to 167A. Amount ofpollen: None observed. Gynoecium: Pistil number: One. Pistil length:About 2.8 cm. Stigma shape: Rounded. Stigma color: Light tan. Stylelength: About 2.5 mm. Style color: 63A. Ovary color: 63A; heavilywhiskered.

Disease resistance: Very low incidence of infection by Cylindrocladiumin inoculated trials; trials repeated in Alva, Fla., during the summersof 1997, 1998 and 1999.

Seed production: Seed production has not been observed.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Azalea plant named ‘First Place’,as illustrated and described.